see, i've been trying locked doors

it's getting kind of tired

A sermon from 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

“I do not want you to be uninformed,” wrote the apostle Paul.  “You know that when you were pagans you were enticed and led astray…”

Bernard Shaw described hell as being doomed to be unable to do anything other than what you want. Being your own personal tyrant, he called it…

The Sunday before last, Amanda and I went to church at First Lutheran in Galesburg. It was nice; we got to worship together, the sanctuary was beautiful and everyone was welcoming and kind. Of course their worship wasn’t exactly like our’s. And their bulletin was laid out completely differently. At times in worship, I found myself a little confused…

• There I was, a church professional for heaven’s sake, totally lost!

On the way home. I couldn’t help but worry that liturgical worship was doomed to always be a maze for visitors, for seekers. That worship is too confusing, too odd…

After all, the only reason I am familiar with worship here is because you all have oriented over the weeks, months, years…

I lost sleep over it for a couple of days. “How will we ever be welcoming, if worship is so confusing for visitors,” I worried. Eventually, though, during this time after the epiphany, there was another. What if that’s how it works?

“I do not want you to be uninformed,” wrote the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. “You know that when you were pagans you were enticed and led astray.”

When they were pagans all they had was their whims to guide them. Now, though, all that has changed. As Paul puts it, “Therefore I want you to understand, no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

Paul’s telling them before, when they were pagans, their only guide was their will. Now, though, the Holy Spirit has gotten to them. Now, their guide is God. 

See, these Corinthians, they have said three fateful words, “Jesus is Lord.” Because of that everything has changed for them. 

The trouble, though, is they don’t know it yet. At least they’re not acting like it. They’re acting as if it’s still business as usual. So Paul wrote them this letter we read 11 short verses from; opining their ignorance…

Of course we know what it’s like to stand in the shoes of the followers in Corinth, don’t we?

In the fall, Joleen and I met to talk about her confirmation. Not the weekly class, but the Sunday she would stand up here and make promises before all of us and God almighty. 

We went over all the vows; and I pointed out the place where she would be the only one to speak. The promise that was between her and God alone. 

Now Joleen had the good sense to have a reservation or two about making such a big promise. Most of the confirmands just want to get through with the process as quickly as possible. 

I wasn’t, and still am not, worried about Joleen’s hesitation. I didn’t, and still don’t, think she was merely exercising good judgement either. She was up to something more than that, something better… 

The truth is, Joleen was being a good member. She was noticing the scandal of calling yourself a “Christian,” a follower of a savior who was crucified. 

Think about it, you promise to follow the one Peter denied when the chips were down. You promise to follow the one all the disciples fled from as they looked up their leader dying on the cross. 

You’re either a fool, or delusional to make such a claim. Yet, week after week, that’s exactly what you do…

“I do not want you to be uninformed,” wrote the apostle Paul. “You know that when you were pagans you were enticed and led astray. 

Before, their only God was their whims. Now though, three little words have changed all that. The trouble, though, is the Corinthians don’t know it yet; they’re still think it’s the “same ‘ol same ‘ol.”

And we can relate, can’t we? 

You bring a baby up here and promise to raise her in the church. At the point when grace-drunk folks like us bring the little worm up here, we don’t even know what color their hair will be. And yet, you promise to raise the bundle of diapers and spittle in the church?!? It’s crazy! 

But that’s exactly what you do. Then, after the special reception, you go home and take a nap. Like nothing happened!

“I do not want you to be uninformed,” wrote the apostle Paul. “You know that when you were pagans you were enticed and led astray.” 

Now, though, everything has changed. Paul raises the stakes, “Therefore I want you to understand, no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

The followers in Corinth, they’ve made the confession that’s entry into the church; “Jesus is Lord.” Afterward, though, they’re going home like nothing’s changed. Even worse for Paul, they’re acting like the old rules still apply - even in worship - in the congregation - the Kingdom of God!

“I do not want you to be uninformed,” wrote the apostle Paul to the members at First Lutheran in Corinth. “You know that when you were pagans you were enticed and led astray.”

The thing, though, is that they’re no longer godless pagans. Now they’re led by the Holy Spirit. Now everything has changed. Only they’re acting like all they have to guide them still, is merely what’s enticing.

And of course, we know what that’s like.

In fact, we think our preferences is the only thing that defines us these days. You like coke, but I’m a pepsi-guy. You’re a fiscal conservative, and I’m a godless liberal. You like going to church early on Sunday mornings, but I like to sleep in and go to church in the evening.

We, like the Corinthians, think all we are is a bundle of preferences. In fact, that’s how our constitution defines your life, nothing more than a pursuit of your happiness - however you might define it. 

Yet Paul says something as odd as, because three measly little words have tumbled from your lips, “Jesus is Lord,” you no longer belong to yourself. Three words are all the evidence Paul needs to insist your will is captive to the Holy Spirit. That your will isn’t anymore!

It’s an strange thing to say. Especially to folks like us… 

Which is exactly why the peculiarity of our worship, is actually an asset… 

Week after week the church says, “we don’t care what you have to say, here’s what you need to confess.” Each week the church says, “you’re hard-earned money, it isn’t. It’s a gift. It belongs to God. To remind you of that, we’re going to unapologetically take it back.” Each week the church says, “you think you have to justify yourself. It’s isn’t working, is it? Well that’s okay, we’re going to start by making you quit, confess your sins.’

The church does so many strange things. Things that are confusing for folks who just walk off the street. Pagans, Paul would call them. 

Week after week, The Church says these things to us. Then, there’s an epiphany and we realize, it’s the church that makes sense and the ways of the world that are so confusing - so odd, so strange.
We realize Paul was right all along! 

Once we were pagans, but now we belong to God! Jesus is Lord!
He’s the one in charge now!

“I do not want you to be uninformed,” wrote the apostle Paul. “You know that when you were pagans you were enticed and led astray.” Now, though, you’ve said a few words, and everything has changed for you. 

These days we think talk is cheap. You can say anything, it doesn’t really matter. The ancients knew better, though. And in the case of a simple sentence like, “Jesus is Lord,” Paul certainly knew better.

Admit it! Your deepest desire is to be your own lord, isn’t it? I know you, you former pagan. That’s what you want, to let your whims guide you wherever. You can’t fool me with your piety. After all, it takes one to know one.

See, Paul knew we could never say such a thing, that Jesus is Lord, on our own volition. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit!

We’re all recovering pagans, aren’t we? And Church is our weekly Pagans Anonymous meetings. Here we gather and admit that what’s enticed us has led us astray, and we need to be saved. We need a Lord more kind than our own desires.

Paul proclaims is the only way we could say such a thing, is by the power of the Holy Spirit. That little confession is all the evidence Paul needs to assert something as crazy as, “you don’t belong to yourself anymore. You belong to God”

Now hearing something like that used to seem scary, when you were a Pagan. Given the alternatives, though; wouldn’t you say its the best news you’ve ever heard?